Fish out of Water
by jojo507
Summary: Ino loves mermaids. She meets a real mermaid...man. But she doesn't know that they're real part. Series of stories of Ino's relationship with the sea and the living creatures in it. Set in the modern world. Suggestions for a better title?


**INO YAMANAKA**

Long blond hair glided through the water framing the pale and flawless skin. She surfaced into the open air and opened her pale blue eyes and leaned back against the stone wall and admired her scales. Starting from her hips a large purple tail with accents of whites and blues glistened as she gently waved it up and down from the waters. Matching her tail were shells weaved into a necklace rested around her neck and curves, she had made it herself. This was the most relaxed day she had this entire month and was thankful that she could come to her favorite place and show off her new tail.

That's right, her new tail. She slaved for weeks to purchase a custom-made silicone mermaid tail that had cost her quite the fortune, ahem maybe around $3000. But it was made of the finest material that hugged her form so perfectly with a soft blend of colors between her skin and the tail to make it even more realistic! Her monofin was also shaped to copy that of a betta fish which made it a tad bit larger than the usual fin, causing a bit more effort in her part with the extra weight but that's what neoprene covers are for! (Neoprene: its buoyancy lightens the load of the monofin.) Also, she's been working out, her lean abs tell no lies.

Going back to the slaving part, maybe she was exaggerating a bit, after all, she is a lawyer and a very good one at that. Now, what's a fancy lady like her doing wearing silicone tails in the swimming pool? It was a hobby. A hobby that she was obsessed over and cherished like her own child. It's also like a therapy, a happy place, an activity that she is dedicated to. She had grown up by the seaside with her happy family of three where parents taught her everything they knew about the sea, both real and fantasy. Her mother would buy her mermaid themed everything and call her 'my little mermaid'. Ino had almost dyed her hair red to be like Ariel at some point, good thing her father talked her out of it.

He mother had passed away thirteen years ago fighting cancer and Ino missed her every day. She had stopped swimming for several years out of depression and moved into the city. Eventually, she gradually let swimming back into her life over the years and thinking about her mom become less painful. She only learned about the mermaid tail thing four years ago when she had gone to a four-star restaurant aquarium where professional mermaids performed for them. It seemed to fill up part of the gaping hole she had inside her.

The call of the lifeguard brought her back to earth and she followed the rest of the 'mermaids' and 'mermen' out of the water and shimmy out of their tails.

Kurenai, the president of the mermaid organization (club but that doesn't sound fancy enough), called for everyone's attention, "Okay everyone! I hope you had a great time today as well and here is the announcement we've all been waiting for. The Turtle Bay Retreat!" A couple of people let out a cheer. "Make sure you get here in time for the buses to go to the airport, we'll be at Turtle Bay in two hours. Don't forget your tails, ahem, Naruto, and have a great rest of your day!" With that everyone was dismissed.

Naruto grumbled at being called out on and continued to shimmy out of his own bright orange and yellow and black accented tail. Ino laughed at his expense and turned her attention to her best friend whom she found through this mermaid organization, Sakura. To be honest they didn't start out as friends more like rivals on who would catch the dark, tall and mysterious lifeguard's attention, yes Sasuke, until they saw him clearly checking the grumbling blond still struggling with shimmying out of his tail. So a year of rivalry and three years of best friendship. Also, Sakura is a badass cardiologist (a doctor who specialize in heart treatments) with surprisingly natural pink hair.

"I see you made quite the purchase with that flashy tail of yours, of course, you had to steal everyone's attention to you….show off." Sakura teased.

"Aw, no need to be jealous cherry, your billboard brow is all you need for heads to turn your way." Ino teased back and got a slap on the shoulder in response.

Tan arms circled around both girls' shoulders.

"Ladies, ladies, please. You both got my attention, ya know." Naruto said.

The ladies sighed in unison and patted Naruto on the shoulder and got up to leave.

"Naruto, maybe one day you will notice the burning attention you get from high above," Sakura said with a wave of her hand and left with Ino to the ladies room.

Naruto was left in confusion at her words but shrugged it off.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was sitting in his lanky lifeguard chair staring down flames of jealousy at the girls then moved to that fine speedo covered ass walking to the men's room.


End file.
